This thesis investigates how cell shape and collective behavior influence the dynamics and structure of biological tissues, which are crucial for understanding processes like embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and metastasis.

Image-Pro Plus, ImageJ, Cell Profiler, R, Knime en NIS-elements

Promotor: Huub J.M. de Groot, Co-promotor: Francesco Buda

Integrins play an essential role in multicellular life by connecting cells to the extracellular matrix.

The overarching goal of this thesis is to set the foundations, but also make the first essential steps towards establishing a comprehensive, mesoscopic, hydrodynamic theory of epithelial tissues. The stage is set by an exhaustive study of topological defects in passive p-atic liquid crystals, singularities…

Image segmentation is a fundamental task in computer vision, with applications ranging from medical diagnostics to archaeological research.

The first steps are made in personalised cancer vaccination strategies, which aim to induce a more specific immune response with fewer side effects. The activation of cytotoxic T cells is crucial for an effective immune response.

Endothelial dysfunction and microvascular diseases are key drivers of cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death.

Promotors: W. Jiskoot; G.J. Witkamp, Co-promotor: M.R. Nejadnik

Drie studenten van de Masteropleiding Europees Recht hebben blogs gepubliceerd op Leiden Law Blog.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis, characterization and performance towards CO2 electroreduction of mono and bi-metallic particles based on p-block metals

In this thesis, we focus on novel proteins/mechanisms that regulate integrin-adhesion mediated mechano-transduction.

Pericytes, the mural cells of blood microvessels, are important regulators of vascular morphogenesis and function that have been postulated to mechanically control microvascular diameter through as yet unknown mechanisms.

In previous studies at our laboratory it was demonstrated that drug exposure of HepG2 cells can lead to an altered TNFα-induced NF-κB oscillatory phenotype, concurrent with a synergistically increased sensitivity for TNFα-induced apoptosis.

This doctoral thesis is an effort to understand how lipid phase-separation induced by diacylglycerol analogues in lipid-based nanoparticles affects their in vivo behavior, leading to specific nanoparticle-protein communications and selective cell targeting.

In photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT), a biologically active compound is caged by a light-cleavable protecting group.

Promotores: H.S. Overkleeft, G.A. van der Marel, Co-Promotor: R.G. Boot

De Una Europa Clusters brengen vooraanstaande deskundigen en ervaren personeelsleden van de talrijke academische en professionele diensten van de Una Europa -partners samen.

Binnen het brede netwerk van de Universiteit Leiden neemt het instituut deel aan onderzoek binnen de volgende profileringsgebieden:

Onze medewerkers en studenten maken deel uit van de taskforces van Una Europa. Deze taskforces vertalen de kernthema’s van Una Europa naar concrete acties.

Publicaties die voortkomen uit het AFITE-project

Promotie

This thesis describes the synthesis, analysis of various tetrazine bearing compounds and use in bioorthogonal chemistry.

The molecular mechanisms that instigate a healthy cell to become malignant are fueled by (epi)genetic alterations in so-called driver genes.

Promotor: Johan Kuiper, Co-promotor: Saskia C.A. de Jager

Promotor: J.G.E.M. Fraaije, Co-Promotor: A. Kros

Promotores: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg & Dr. M.G. Vijver

Lysosomal acid glucosylceramidase (GBA1) is a lysosomal enzyme that degrades glucolipids with its main substrate being glucosylceramide (GlcCer). Defects in the GBA1 gene lead to glycosphingolipidosis Gaucher disease (GD), in which the hydrolysis of GlcCer is impaired and therefore, it accumulates in…

Promotor: H.P. Spaink, Co-Promotor: A.H. Meijer

The applications of studying the early development of insects range from agriculture to material science.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Metastasis, the process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, makes treatments less effective. It is important to unravel the mechanism of metastasis.

Synthesis and application of chemical biology tools to study immunomodulatory signaling lipids.

The type-IV secretion system (T4SS) is a machinery able to transfer DNA and proteins between bacteria and in certain cases also to eukaryotic cells.

The function of TLRs in innate immunity has aroused worldwide attention soon after its discovery. Because of the broad functions of TLR2 in innate immunity, the drive for the development of TLR2-targeted vaccines or therapeutic treatments has accelerated in the last decades.

Promotores: Prof.dr. H. van Veen & Prof.dr. W. de Boer (Wageningen University)

Promotor: J. Kuiper

This thesis tackles the difficulty of predicting the liver’s clinical response to novel therapies, a challenge arising from interspecies differences and limitations of existing in vitro models.

In human cells, a meter-long DNA is condensed inside a micrometer-sized cell nucleus. Simultaneously, the genetic code must remain accessible for its replication and transcription to functional proteins.

Promotor: Roeland M.H. Merks

The research described in this thesis focused on the use of bioorthogonal antigens to investigate immunological processes in antigen presenting cells. Bioorthogonal antigens are antigenic proteins produced through recombinant expression in a methionine auxotrophic E. coli strain.

Drug induced organ toxicity is the main problem of the drug development and drug usage in the clinic. The liver and kidneys are the most sensitive organs towards drug induced toxicity.

Promotores: A.H. Meijer, H.P. Spaink

This thesis describes the functional analysis of the Arabidopsis AHL15 gene.

The investigations described in this thesis lay out strategies aimed at advancing antibiotic research and development. The examples presented revolve around two main approaches: understanding drug-target interactions and target identification.

Kinase inhibitors are key therapeutic agents, particularly in oncology, yet their clinical efficacy is often hampered by off-target effects and limited understanding of their cellular target profiles.

Studies naar perceptuele besluitvorming presenteren dezelfde stimulus doorgaans herhaaldelijk tijdens een experimentele sessie, maar negeren de volgorde van deze observaties, waarbij wordt uitgegaan van een onrealistische stabiliteit van beslissingsstrategieën tijdens proeven. Maar zelfs ‘stabiel’,…

In het onderzoeksprogramma Drug Discovery & Safety zijn we geïnteresseerd in de werkzaamheid en veiligheid van nieuwe medicijnen en nieuwe manieren om deze aspecten te bepalen. Daarvoor combineren we geavanceerde imaging en high-throughput screening technieken met computationele aanpakken zoals chem-…

The cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) is associated with several inflammatory diseases with an unmet medical need (e.g. Alzheimers, multiple sclerosis, reumatoid arthritis). Development of new chemical biology strategies to study this protein is essential to aid future development of drugs for these…